KPAA Community Message: October 13, 2023
“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.” – Shira Tamir
photo credit: Bree Sarandrea
This morning I stepped outside and instantly felt the cool air hit my cheeks, causing me to zip up my jacket and pull my hat down over my ears. The blur of color from last week has suddenly disappeared, leaving trees looking desolate as they prepare to go dormant. The crunch of the leaves beneath my feet and the hint of frost on the grass tell me that fall is coming to an end soon, which gives me a small burst of excitement, and leaves me thinking of one thing… soon, winter will be upon us, and so will our skiing and riding season!
Although the burst of color that comes with foliage season has past and the leaves are falling quickly, stick season brings with it a unique energy here in our region. The temps are falling just like the leaves, and the snow will be flying before we know it. Winter means many things for our community, which is heavily reliant on the business that goes along with it. It’s a time to embrace the upcoming season and to get all those outdoor projects completed. It’s gearing up for our busiest season, and working on our businesses by hiring employees, fine tuning our operations and planning our next marketing campaigns. It’s time to dust off the ski boots, snowboards, snowshoes, ice skates, sleds etc. and get ready for the next season of the wonderful outdoor activities that the Killington Region boasts.
Therefore, it is time to start thinking about Merchant Passes!
Merchant Passes will go on sale starting Wednesday, October 18th. Once again there will be a Local Merchant Pass and a Regional Merchant Pass.
Prices are as follows: Local $519+ tax (inclusive $550.14) and Regional $749+ tax (inclusive $793.94).
To streamline the process, validation for all pass holders will take place at the Killington Welcome Center. We encourage all member businesses that have not renewed their memberships to see the section below. Member businesses must be in good standing.
If you or members of your team still need to fulfill your 2022/2023 Merchant Pass hours please be sure to check the volunteer section at the end of the newsletter for upcoming volunteer opportunities. We are extending the deadline to November 1st to meet the 8-hour requirement for the 2022/2023 season.
We want to send a big thank you to Allen Pools and Spas for hosting the October mixer this past Tuesday night! It was a well attended event; the food was fantastic and we were so happy to be invited to co-host with CEDRR. The Making Strides for Breast Cancer team helped the room sparkle with their the pink boas, rose colored glasses, and festive beads! Coming together for a terrific cause certainly inspired us all.
The traffic at the Welcome Center (and on the roads) has been nonstop over the past two weeks. We have greeted guests from Austria, Norway, Italy, Canada, Texas, Florida, Minnesota, California, Pennsylvania and even Alaska. Most are in awe of our beautiful town and brave little state.
This weekend check out the Maxxis Eastern States Cup Downhill Finals. Tuesday, check out the End of Season Industry Mixer at the Birch Ridge Inn. And of course – don’t miss our Annual Meeting and Community Update at Killington Resort on Thursday evening!
It’s that time of year where many of us decide to take some time off! Please let us know if your business hours will be changing in the upcoming weeks so that we can share them with our visitors.
Embrace this changing season. Reconnect with loved ones, enjoy a vacation, and get ready for the beauty of Winter!
